Micah Richards faces a battle to play again this year after undergoing knee
surgery on Monday that is likely to see the Manchester City defender
sidelined until Christmas at the earliest.

The 24 year-old, who was carried off in the closing stages of Saturday’s 1-0 victory against Swansea at the Etihad Stadium, damaged the meniscus cartilage in his right knee while running back towards goal.

Moments earlier, the former England full-back forced play to be stopped in order to receive treatment for cramp, but his efforts to continue in the game were ended abruptly when he collapsed to the ground clutching his knee in the 81st minute.

Attempts to scan Richards’s knee over the weekend proved unsuccessful owing to the extent of swelling around knee joint, but after the injury was assessed on Monday, the defender underwent surgery in the afternoon.

Although the initial prognosis suggests that the player faces six to eight weeks out of action, the injury will be reassessed once Richards begins his rehabilitation.

The loss of Richards, who only recently returned to action following an ankle injury suffered while representing Team GB at the Olympics, exacerbates the defensive injury problems facing Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini.

Argentine full-back Pablo Zabaleta has an outside chance of being fit to play in Saturday’s clash with West Ham at Upton Park, but former Inter Milan defender Maicon is understood to be at least two weeks away from a return to action.

Meanwhile, David Silva is expected to return to training before the weekend after spending a week in Spain undergoing extensive treatment on a hamstring injury.

Silva, who suffered the injury while on international duty, has yet to start training, but Mancini is hopeful that the former Valencia winger will be fit in time for next Tuesday’s decisive Champions League Group D clash against Ajax at the Etihad.